ASHBURTON - The happiest trotting trainer in the country after yesterday's Flying Mile at Ashburton may be Ken Sefonte - and he didn't even have a horse in the race.
The feature trot at the Ashburton meeting was won by Whatsundermykilt, who held out warm favourite Allegro Agitato and Play
On in a quick enough time.
But the race left the impression that not much has changed in the southern open class ranks.
With Interdominion champion Delft under a cloud the rest of the southern trotters appear no stronger than they have been in the past two seasons.
While Allegro Agitato produced the run of the race for second after starting from the outside of the second line, the winner is a honest journeyman rather than the sort of horse to scare rival trainers.
Which is where Sefonte comes in.
The Kumeu horseman trains freakish mare Our Sunny Whiz, who could be the next big thing in New Zealand trotting.
Our Sunny Whiz has only been beaten twice in her career and routinely trots closing sectionals that, on yesterday's evidence, her southern rivals would struggle to match.
If Sefonte was unsure whether to head south for the $150,000 Dominion Handicap next month before watching yesterday's race it should have been enough to convince him to book his tickets.
While beaten, Allegro Agitato indicated she is still the fastest of the established open class brigade and will be the one Our Sunny Whiz has to beat should she make the Addington trip.
